Origin
Cape Saint Claire, MD
Afternoon in Cape Saint Claire on Saturday
Local time
3:44 PM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cape Saint Claire, MD to Columbia, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
30.6 mi
49 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cape Saint Claire, MD
Jay Johnson
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Cape Saint Claire, MD to Columbia, MD covers 30.6 miles and takes about 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway, Governor Ritchie Highway, College Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.5 miles on Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.07 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway | 17.5 mi | 23m |
| Governor Ritchie Highway | 5.2 mi | 8m |
| College Parkway | 4 mi | 7m |
| Arundel Expressway | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Columbia Pike | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Chestnut Tree Drive | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Green Holly Drive | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Dogwood Tree Drive | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway
— 17.5 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cape Saint Claire, MD and Columbia, MD.
1
Start on Dogwood Tree Drive
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Dogwood Tree Drive
2
Turn left onto Latrobe Drive
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Latrobe Drive
3
Turn right onto Chestnut Tree Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Chestnut Tree Drive
4
At end of road, turn left onto Green Holly Drive
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
Green Holly Drive
5
Turn right onto College Parkway
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
College Parkway
6
Turn right onto MD 2
5.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Governor Ritchie Highway
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward MD 10 North, I 695: Baltimore
8
Merge onto MD 10
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Arundel Expressway
9
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 100
18 mi
·
23 min
·
Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway
Toward MD 100 West
Use the slight left lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
47 sec
Toward US 29 South: Washington
Use the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto US 29
0.5 mi
·
30 sec
·
Columbia Pike
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Arrive at destination
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
15 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 30.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.3 miles from Cape Saint Claire, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 30.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Latrobe Drive
Turn left onto Latrobe Drive
Navigation decision point
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Green Holly Drive
At end of road, turn left onto Green Holly Drive
Navigation decision point
7
11.7 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
MD 100 / Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 100 / Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway toward MD 100 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward MD 100 West
7
29.2 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 29 South: Washington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 29 South: Washington
8
30.2 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Searc...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.07 one way
$10.15 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.56 | $11.11 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.93 | $11.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.76 | $13.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.21 | $1.47 |
| Efficient EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.68 | $1.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.28 | $1.96 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Columbia, MD
Afternoon in Columbia on Saturday
Local time
3:44 PM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
4 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
46m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
30.6 mi in 46m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 17% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.5 mi on Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Latrobe Drive.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 30.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Latrobe Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (Green Holly Drive): Navigation decision point; at 11.7 miles (MD 100 / Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 46m. Total distance: 30.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.5 miles on Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Columbia, MD before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Latrobe Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (Green Holly Drive): Navigation decision point; at 11.7 miles (MD 100 / Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Columbia, MD before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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